


The dreadful night

by mattygra



Category: The Lord of the Rings (Movies)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-30
Updated: 2021-01-30
Packaged: 2021-03-16 15:06:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 584
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29084358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mattygra/pseuds/mattygra
Summary: Haleth son of Hama at the battle of Helm's deep
Kudos: 1





	The dreadful night

Haleth son of Hama stood on the steps of the deep, the siege was going badly, the armies of Isengard had breached the Deeping Wall and though they had fought fiercely the gate had been breached, he remembered the training his father had given him at Edoras as he raced to join the desperate shield wall forming as a rearguard to give the wounded more time to get inside.

His fathers shield brother Gamling was in the center of the line and as a new group of enemies advanced with shields raised, he yelled "get ready!" As the enemy rushed towards them Haleth stopped a blow from one Uruk with his shield and thrust his sword forward pulling back quickly as they readied for the next attack. 

Haleth saw the man next to him strike down one Uruk before falling as a fearsome pike tore through his mail coat, yet the man pulled the pike with him over balancing his killer and pulling him from the line Haleth stepped forward and struck giving enough time for the crumbling wall to reform. The enemy were regrouping. 

From above whatever last missile weapons that could be found were being launched giving them a moments respite, they were the last living men men outside the keep and if they didn't move they were about to be overwhelmed. 

“Inside quickly,” Gamling yelled as the handful of warriors ran to the door, just as they made it through they heard the sound of Crossbow bolts thudding against the great doors. 

If he felt hopeless during the dusk, now he felt broken, so many had fallen and all their hope was lost, he wished his father was here but he was gone as well, killed in the flight from Edoras, His mother Ælfwynn was in the caves. 

It was some time before Gamling approached him, wrapping his arms around him in a protective hug, “it’s okay lad, you’ve been brave, Hama would be proud of you.”

“W-what happens now,” he asked, desperately clinging to any chance of hope as the reverb of a battering ram against the doors echoed through the hall. 

“I promised your mother I’d keep you safe” Gamling said “I need you to go to the caves, The lady Eowyn will get you to safety, you need to live, live for your father father, live for Rohan and live for yourself.”

The doors were beginning to buckle as their king gathered with his Royal guard at one end of the hall, as those without horses began to retreat towards the Glittering caves. 

The lady Eowyn had gathered a desperate group to hold the mouth of the cave, his mother once a renowned shield maiden stood near the front and as she saw him exhausted and covered in gore she ran forwards and held him close, held in his mothers arms he wept, all the loss and grief of the last few days catching up to him.

Above them they heard the horn of Helm hammerhad sound one last glorious call. As they waited they were met not be plate clad Ururk Hai but by men in Rohirric war gear, they were men who’d fought alongside Eomer and Theodred at the shores of the Isen, the wizard Mithrandir had brought them, the forests of Fangorn had moved and the enemy was broken.

The long dreadful night was at an end, more battles would follow, but for now there was time to remember the dead and celebrate their victory.


End file.
